In my
last post I discussed the impact that compulsive Internet use is having on
sleep in America - and many other countries as well. For example, compulsive on-line game playing has been a major concern in Korea. Indeed, some of the earliest research on the compulsive use of the Internet was done in Korea where on-line game playing is even more prevalent than it is in the US. More and more behavioral health professionals are encountering patients suffering from compulsive Internet use - what has been termed "Internet
Addiction."
Most of us use the Internet for work, recreation and taking care of regular tasks like checking the bank account and paying bills. At some point, however, use can become compulsive and begin to interfere with optimal functioning in other areas of life such as work, social interactions and general health. This occurs because people are spending so much time on-line and are so driven to be on-line that they miss important appointments, avoid work, fail to exercise and lose sleep. This kind of compulsive behavior closely parallels that of other compulsive behaviors such as substance abuse and pathological gambling.
Among adolescents there is a strong relationship between compulsive Internet usage and excessive daytime sleepiness. Excessive sleepiness is often one of the first signs of Internet addiction. It is well known that poor sleep creates symptoms similar to those of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and it worsens the symptoms of ADHD for people diagnosed with this disorder. For both students and workers, poor sleep due to excessive on-line game playing, web surfing or Facebook socializing can cause problems for performance at school and on the job.
The Internet has many compelling qualities that can easily encourage compulsive use. Socially isolated people may find an online community that becomes more important to them than the meager real world friendships that they have. Success at online videogames can win an otherwise unsuccessful person the admiration of a literally world wide audience. For a person bored with the daily routine, the Internet may offer escape and pleasure that can't be found at work or at home. Aggression can be released in "first person shooter" games, a sense of discovery can fill the time as the web is surfed, and a strong sense of control is experienced when the computer does just what we want it to - unlike everything and everyone else that are so unpredictable and frustrating.
While most people use the Internet responsibly, some people may find that they are harming their physical and mental health with compulsive use. If you find yourself or a loved one giving up other, more productive activities for the Internet; losing sleep and staying up most of the night surfing the web or playing on-line games; find your job endangered because of an inability to resist on-line activities at work; become secretive and defensive when questioned about your on-line activities; or become overwhelmed with anxiety at the thought of being without the Internet - you may indeed have Internet addiction.
If you suspect that this is a problem there are some steps that you can take. Carefully ask yourself how much you are using the Internet and how it is affecting your life. If it seems to be causing major problems, you can actively reduce on-line activities and increase real world ones. You may find some Website blocking programs helpful if there are specific sites you want to avoid. Developing a thoughtful awareness of your Internet use is a major step toward healthy change!
There are some good sources of additional information that may help. The book Cyber Junkie by Roberts is a good introduction to the world of on-line addiction, how it happens, and what can be done to help - by an author with first-hand experience with this disorder. A source more directed to professionals is the edited volume Internet Addiction: A Handbook and Guide to Evaluation and Treatment, by Young and de Abreu. Both of these books are up-to-date and give a sense of developing issues in the field. If self-help approaches are not effective it may be necessary to seek professional help from someone with experience in the treatment of compulsive behavioral disorders. The goal of treatment is usually to return to appropriate use of the Internet rather than total abstinence because, like compulsive eating, most people can't completely stop the problem behavior - it must be managed. In the postmodern world it is often very difficult to work or take care of a lot of basic activities without some use of the Internet.
Fortunately, most people can regain control of their on-line activities and get back to good sleep and better daytime functioning. You can use the Internet and not be sleepless in America!
